ELCC and the federal budget 2006

On May 2, 2006 the Conservative government presented its first budget since the election of January 23rd. This issue file provides links to budget documents pertaining to child care, as well as responses from opposition parties, child care and other civil society organizations, and a selection of media coverage.

Budget 2006
- Budget homepage
- Chapter 3: “Families and communities”

Excerpts from the budget:

- In this budget, we are investing $3.7 billion over two years for the Universal Child Care Benefit, which will provide all families with $1,200 per year for each child under 6. The Universal Child Care Benefit will not affect federal income-tested benefits and will be provided as of July 1st.

- I would like to commend those provinces which have already stated that they would not claw back this money.

- While the Universal Child Care Benefit will support child care choices by families, we also intend to invest in creating new child care spaces. This budget allocates $250 million beginning in 2007 to create real child care spaces as part of Canada’s Universal Child Care Plan. We will work with governments, businesses and community organizations to develop a plan that works, a plan that actually creates spaces.

USEFUL RESOURCES TO ANALYZE THE BUDGET

The Community Child Care Investment Program: Does the evidence support the claims?
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, 4 Apr 06 / In pdf

The incredible shrinking $1,200 child care allowance: How to fix it
Battle, Ken
Caledon Institute of Social Policy, 28 Apr 06 / In pdf

The state of the national child care program and provincial/territorial contexts, March 2006
Friendly, Martha & Ferns, Carolyn
Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Mar 06 / In pdf

Moving forward: Alternative Federal Budget 2006
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 27 Apr 06 / In pdf

RESPONSES FROM OPPOSITION PARTIES

Une avancée importante en vue de l’élimination du déséquilibre fiscal
[An important advance in the elimination of the fiscal imbalance]
Bloc Quebecois, 2 May 06 (French only)

Conservatives failing Canadians with first budget: Liberal opposition
Liberal Party of Canada, 2 May 06

NDP says corporate tax cuts won’t create child care spaces
New Democratic Party, 2 May 06

RESPONSES FROM GROUPS

No child care in today's budget
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, 02 May 06

Federal Budget 2006 and child care: No mention of quality
Canadian Child Care Federation, 2 May 06

Massive tax cuts deplete public resources but don’t reduce poverty
Campaign 2000, 3 May 06

Federal budget fails to deliver “real results” for children and families
Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, 3 May 06

Gee, we could have wiped out child poverty: Reflecting on the 2006 federal budget
First Call, BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, 3 May 06

Federal Budget shows no vision, offers no hope for working families
Canadian Labour Congress, 2 May 06

Harper's first budget: tax cuts trump child care, public services - Conservatives hoodwinking Canadians in quest for majority
Canadian Union of Public Employees, 2 May 06

Tory budget makes only minor changes to child care grants
National Union of Public and General Employees, 3 May 06

NEWS ARTICLES

Tory child-care plan 'perverse': Martin
Canadian Press, 4 May 06

The perils of the politics of child care
by Gray, John / CBC Reality Check, 3 May 06

Plan favours stay-at-home parents
by Galloway, Gloria / Globe and Mail, 3 May 06

Parents forced to lower expectations
by Monsebraaten, Laurie/ Toronto Star, 2 May 06

An open letter to Jim Flaherty
by Cleveland, Gordon & Krashinsky, Michael/ Toronto Star, 1 May 06

Child care proposal gives least to poorest
by Galloway, Gloria/ Globe and Mail, 26 Apr 06

		»  List of topics

This list in not intended to be an exhaustive examination of this topic; for a more comprehensive list, search the Childcare Resource and Research Unit resource library catalogue Childcare Information Resource Collection (CIRC).